Great Patriotic War
From the very first days of the German fascist aggression, the people of Belarus, like the entire Soviet people, rose up for a just Patriotic War against the Nazi invaders.
Heroic Defense Brest Fortress . The whole world knows the heroic defense of the legendary Brest Fortress. The steadfastness and courage of its defenders surprised even the enemies. Having surrounded the fortress, the Nazis fired on it from guns and mortars all the time, fascist planes dropped bombs and barrels of gasoline on the forts. The defenders of the fortress did not have enough ammunition, water, food, medicines, but nothing could break their stamina. Their heroism and selflessness are evidenced by the inscriptions preserved on the walls of the fortress: “We will die, but we will not leave the fortress”, “There were three of us, it was hard for us, but we did not lose heart and die like heroes”, “I am dying, but I do not give up! Farewell, Motherland!” For almost a month the garrison bravely fought the enemy. Most of the defenders of the fortress died the death of the brave, some, having broken through the encirclement, became partisans. For exceptional stamina, courage and heroism shown in the defense of the Brest Fortress, 68 people were awarded government awards, and the commander of the 44th Infantry Regiment P.M. Gavrilov awarded the title of Hero of the Soviet Union. The Brest Fortress was awarded the title of “Hero-Fortress”.
The feat of the crew of the aircraft N. Gastello. On the fourth day of the war, June 26, 1941, Nikolai Frantsevich Gastello performed a heroic deed with his crew. The squadron under the command of Captain Gastello delivered a powerful bombing attack on the enemy on the Molodechno-Radoshkovichi road. But when the bombers left the target, an enemy shell pierced the gas tank of the command vehicle. The fire engulfed the entire plane, it was not possible to bring down the flames. It was possible to leave the plane and land on parachutes, but this meant captivity. The commander and his crew as part of the navigator A.A. Burdenyuk , arrow G.N.Skorobogaty and a radio operator A.A. Kalinina preferred death to captivity. The burning plane was sent by the commander to a column of tanks, motor vehicles and gas tanks. The explosion of the bomber caused significant damage to the enemy in terms of manpower and equipment. On the site of the feat accomplished by the courageous crew, a monument-memorial was erected, and in the town of Radoshkovichi A monument was erected to the Hero of the Soviet Union N.F. Gastello.
The feat of the tank brothers Krichevtsov. Konstantin, Mina and Elisey Krichevtsov are tank brothers from the Gomel region. From the first days of the Great Patriotic War, they fought at the front in the same tank crew. In the battle near the village of Lapa near Bialystok, their tank was hit. Then the brothers directed their burning car towards fascist tank. Having destroyed it at the cost of their lives, they blocked the way for enemy tanks in a narrow passage of a swampy area. A street in the village of Borok, Gomel region, was named after the Krichevtsov brothers.
The heroic feat of Kovalev. Another native of the Gomel region, Grigory Semenovich Kovalev, during the Great Patriotic War, first fought in partisan brigade, and from July 1944 - in the rifle brigade of the 3rd Belorussian Front. In the fight against the German fascist invaders Sergeant Kovalev showed fearlessness and heroism. When Lithuania was liberated from the Nazis on August 18, 1944, in the battle for the heights west of the city of Siauliai, he threw himself with a bunch of grenades under the tracks of an enemy tank. Inspired by his feat, the fighters destroyed several more tanks and repulsed the enemy attack. G.S. Kovalev was posthumously awarded the title of Hero of the Soviet Union.
Glorious deeds of Belarusian pilots. Belarusian patriots fought desperately in the air. The first high-altitude aerial ram in history was carried out in the Moscow sky by a pilot of the 12th fighter regiment A.N.Katrich . The title of Hero of the Soviet Union was also awarded to his countrymen - a Minsker I.I. Kozlovsky and a resident of Vitebsk P.F. Sychenko .
July 6, 1943 fighter pilot A.K.Gorovets , returning to his airfield, entered into battle with 20 enemy bombers and, having the highest flying skills, shot down 9 enemy aircraft. A.K. Gorovets is the only pilot in the world who shot down so many enemy planes in one air battle. In Polotsk and in the homeland of the Hero of the Soviet Union Alexander Konstantinovich Gorovets, monuments were erected, streets in Vitebsk, Minsk, Polotsk, Senno, and the city of Vitebsk were named after him. Bogushevsk.
The only pilot in the world who made four air rams is a Belarusian B.I. Kovzan . They call him the man of legend. During the years of World War II, he made 360 sorties, conducted 127 air battles, in which he shot down 28 and rammed 4 enemy aircraft. The title of Hero of the Soviet Union Boris Ivanovich Kovzan was awarded after the battle near Staraya Russa. In a continuous battle with 13 fascist vultures, B.I. Kovzan rammed a fascist plane with his already burning plane. And, as always, the pilot from the legend remained alive and continued to terrify the enemy.
Brave Belarusian sailors. On the sea expanses of the Baltic, Vice Admiral became famous V.P. Drozd , a native of Buda-Koshelev. Under his command in the fall of 1941, ships Baltic Fleet carried out a bold breakthrough from Tallinn to Kronstadt, rescued and transported the defenders of the Khanka Peninsula to the Leningrad Front. The brave admiral died in January 1943 on the ice track near Kronstadt.
During the war years, the submarine "Sch-310" under the command of a Vitebsk citizen S.N. Bogorada hunted down enemy ships. And no matter how strong the guarding of the enemy's sea caravans, the brave commander always boldly led his submarine into a decisive attack. Only in two campaigns the crew of the boat sank 7 enemy ships. The submarine Shch-310 was awarded the Order of the Red Banner, and its commander was awarded the title of Hero of the Soviet Union.
Belarusian partisans and underground fighters. A wide network of underground organizations was created on the occupied territory of Belarus, and a partisan movement was launched.
A group operated effectively at the Orsha railway junction Konstantin Zaslonov . Zaslonovites made mines that looked like pieces of coal, and threw them into coal warehouses, into tenders of steam locomotives. Briquette-coal mines, falling into the furnaces, disabled up to 200 steam locomotives, some of which exploded at the station.
The underground workers at the Osipovichi railway junction acted boldly and decisively. One of the leaders of the underground Fedor Krylovich planted two magnetic mines under the train with fuel. The fire from the explosion spread to other echelons loaded with military equipment and ammunition. As a result of this operation, 4 echelons were completely destroyed, including one with Tiger tanks, 31 fuel tanks, 63 wagons with shells, bombs, and mines.
Family of Vasily Demyanovich Goyshik- he himself, his wife Olga Andreevna and 13-year-old son Kolya - actively fought against the Nazis in Ivatsevichi, Brest region. Vasily Demyanovich, having fallen into the hands of the executioners, was tortured, without betraying the underground workers and underground appearances. Kolya went with his mother to the partisans, where he became a brave messenger and a skilled demolition worker. On March 23, 1944, the partisans learned that a fascist echelon was to pass through the Ivatsevichi station in the direction of Minsk. Kolya and his fighting friend Lenya Savoshchik volunteered to blow up the train. The Germans heavily guarded the paths; they failed to crawl unnoticed and plant an explosive device. Then Kolya, with a mine in his hands, rushed under the engine. A terrible explosion shook the air, wagons with enemy tanks, guns, and ammunition flew downhill. It was the eighth, last exploded echelon of Kolya Goyshik. In Ivatsevichi, Gantsevichi, Minsk there are streets of Kolya Goyshik. One of the schools in the Ivatsevichi district is named after him.
In the German rear, in Vitebsk, courageous underground workers sent important information to the command of the Red Army. The Nazis are on their trail. Died in Gestapo dungeons Vera Khoruzhaya and her comrades in the underground Sofia Pankova , Evdokia Suranova, Claudia Boldacheva, Maria, Vasily And Agafya Vorobyovs .
Marat Kazei was a scout at the headquarters of the partisan brigade, at the age of 12 he took the partisan oath. The Nazis hanged his mother for setting fire to the arsenal and destroying the barracks with Nazi soldiers. Already in the first battle native village Marat showed courage and courage: he was wounded, but, despite this, he attacked the enemy several times. The young scout penetrated the Nazi garrisons and obtained valuable information for the command of the partisans. On May 11, 1944, Marat was surrounded by punishers near the village of Khoromitskie, Uzdensky district, Minsk region. The young partisan fired back to the last bullet. Then, taking a grenade, he went to the enemies. Marat died heroically, but with a grenade he destroyed the Nazis surrounding him. A monument to the Hero of the Soviet Union Marat Kazei was erected in Minsk.
Minai Filippovich Shmyrev in 1941 he headed a partisan detachment, and then a partisan brigade. The people's avengers called him respectfully, in a paternal way - Old Man Minai. The partisans of the Batka Minai brigade derailed 10 enemy echelons, blew up 21 railway bridges, destroyed 116 vehicles and hundreds of Nazis. The people's avengers restored Soviet power on the territory of 15 village councils. Between Velizh and Usvyaty, they created the so-called Surazh Gate, through which they received weapons, ammunition, sent thousands of Soviet patriots to the Red Army. The Nazis threw large forces against the partisans of the brigade, but they could not liquidate the partisan zone. The fascist punishers took the children of the partisan commander hostage and shot them. In October 1943, the partisans of Batka Minai joined forces with Soviet troops and took part in the liberation of Belarus from the Nazi invaders. A bust was erected to the Hero of the Soviet Union M.F. Shmyrev in Vitebsk and a memorial museum was created.
The war interrupted the teacher's work Pyotr Mironovich Masherov. Already in the first days of the war, a patriotic teacher led the Rossony underground, which included his students and teachers. In 1942, 24-year-old Pyotr Masherov became commander partisan detachment, and in 1943 - the commissar of the partisan brigade. For fighters, partisans and underground fighters, Commissar Masherov was an example of courage and courage. In September 1943, the young patriot headed the Vileika underground regional committee of the Komsomol. In 1944, for the heroism shown in the fight against the Nazi invaders, P. M. Masherov was awarded the title of Hero of the Soviet Union. After the liberation of Belarus from the fascist occupation, Pyotr Mironovich was actively involved in practical activities to restore the economy of the republic destroyed by the war. In 1965 he was elected First Secretary of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of Belarus. The Belarusian people sacredly honors the memory of their glorious son, a courageous partisan, patriot, Hero of the Soviet Union and Hero of Socialist Labor Pyotr Mironovich Masherov.
A monument to the courageous Belarusian patriot, partisan, Hero of the Soviet Union and Hero of Socialist Labor was erected in the center of the village of Myshkovichi, Kirovsky District, Mogilev Region Kirill Prokofievich Orlovsky. At the foot of the monument, a rifle and a plow are cast from metal - symbols of the military and peaceful labor of a brave warrior and tireless worker. In 1942-1943, Orlovsky headed the Sokoly special detachment, which operated in the Minsk and Brest regions. The fighters of the detachment derailed 16 echelons, blew up 41 vehicles, 4 industrial enterprises, 2 bridges, defeated 2 enemy garrisons. In one of the battles with the Nazis, the commander was seriously wounded. Later, when gangrene began, the surgeon V.A. Lekomtsev performed an “operation” on Orlovsky: with the help of an ordinary bench saw ground and boiled in water, the right hand and three fingers on the left were amputated. At the same time, the courageous commander never groaned. In 1944, Kirill Prokofievich headed the Rassvet collective farm in the Mogilev region and remained its permanent chairman until the end of his difficult but bright life.
On the territory of Belarus in different time During the Great Patriotic War, there were 213 partisan brigades, which united 997 detachments, and 258 separate detachments. 374,000 partisans and 70,000 underground fighters took part in the armed struggle against the Nazi invaders.
Mass character of courage and heroism. For courage, valor and heroism shown in the fight against the fascist invaders, more than 300 thousand soldiers and officers - natives of Belarus - were awarded orders and medals, 446 of them were awarded the high title of Hero of the Soviet Union, 67 people became full holders of the Order of Glory. The title of Hero of the Soviet Union was awarded twice: to P.Ya.Golovachev, I.I.Gusakovsky, S.F.Shutov, I.I.Yakubovsky. Orders and medals were awarded to more than 120 thousand partisans and underground fighters of Belarus, 88 of them were awarded the title of Hero of the Soviet Union .
1. Name the Belarusian soldiers known to you - the heroes of the Great Patriotic War. Tell us about their exploits. 2. Tell us about the activities of the Belarusian underground during the Nazi occupation and the exploits of the heroes of the partisans. 3. Name the heroes after whom streets, schools are named, memorials, monuments in your locality, district, city. 4. How do you honor the memory of the soldiers who died in the Great Patriotic War, do you honor and help the living veterans of the war?
military belarus defense
The border guards were the first to fight the Nazis. The frontier outposts under the command of officers M.K. fought courageously and selflessly against the enemy. Ishkova, A.M. Kizhevatov, who was posthumously awarded the title of Hero of the Soviet Union, I.G. Tikhonov, V.M. Usova and many others.
Heroic defense of the Brest Fortress. The whole world knows the heroic defense of the legendary Brest Fortress. The steadfastness and courage of its defenders surprised even the enemies. Surrounding the fortress, the Nazis shelled it all the time with guns and mortars, fascist planes dropped bombs weighing up to two tons, barrels of gasoline on the forts. The defenders of the fortress did not have enough ammunition, water, food, medicines, but nothing could break their stamina. For almost a month the garrison bravely fought the enemy. Even when the fortress was captured, separate groups of its defenders, having settled in the cellars, did not stop fighting. Their heroism and selflessness are evidenced by the inscriptions preserved on the walls of the fortress: “We will die, but we will not leave the fortress”, “There were three of us, it was hard for us, but we did not lose heart and die like heroes”, “I am dying, but I do not give up Farewell, Motherland!" Most of the defenders of the fortress, among whom were representatives of 30 nationalities, died the death of the brave, some, having broken through the encirclement, became partisans. For exceptional stamina, courage and heroism shown in the defense of the Brest Fortress, 68 people were awarded government awards, and the commander of the 44th Infantry Regiment P.M. Gavrilov was awarded the title of Hero of the Soviet Union. The Brest Fortress was awarded the title "Fortress-Hero".
The feat of the crew of the aircraft N. Gastello. On the fourth day of the war, June 26, 1941, Nikolai Frantsevich Gastello performed a heroic deed with his crew. By the beginning of the Great Patriotic War, Captain Gastello was the commander of the bomber squadron of the 207th air regiment. The squadron delivered a powerful bombing attack on the enemy on the Molodechno - Radoshkovichi road. But when the bombers left the target, an enemy shell pierced the gas tank of the command vehicle. The fire engulfed the entire plane, it was not possible to bring down the flames. It was possible to leave the plane and land on parachutes, but this meant captivity. The commander and his crew consisting of navigator A.A. Burdenyuk, shooter G.N., Skorobogaty and gunner-radio operator A.A. Kalinin preferred death to captivity. The burning plane was sent by the commander to a column of tanks, motor vehicles and gas tanks. The explosion of the bomber caused significant damage to the enemy in terms of manpower and equipment. On the site of the feat accomplished by the pilots, a monument-memorial to the courageous crew was erected, and in the town of Radoshkovichi to the Hero of the Soviet Union N.F. Gastello erected a monument.
Major General Dovator. Short but bright was the path of the famous son of the Belarusian people, the legendary commander and brave cavalryman Lev Mikhailovich Dovator. In 1941, his cavalry group broke through behind enemy lines. The Nazis urgently reported that a 100,000-strong army of Cossacks was operating in their rear (in fact, there were 3,000 cavalrymen). In the same year, the fearless commander, Major General Dovator, heads the 3rd Cavalry Corps, which, for courage and heroism, was transformed into the 2nd Guards Corps. The brave and talented commander led cavalrymen into attacks, personal example showed the fighters examples of courage and heroism, fiery love for their homeland. On December 19, 1941, Dovator, with a small group of scouts, walked with the head division, from where he led the corps. Knocking down the barriers of the invaders, the cavalrymen went to the Ruza River opposite the village of Palashkino, Moscow Region. But then a flurry of fire from the Nazis fell upon them. The critical moment has come. Then Dovator pulled out a pistol with his left hand (the day before he had been wounded in his right hand), rose to his full height and exclaimed "For the Motherland!" led the fighters to the assault. A burst of machine guns killed the beloved cavalry commander to death. Monuments were erected on the grave and at the place of death of the hero, streets in many Belarusian cities were named after him.
Brave sniper Smolyachkov. A native of the Mogilev region, Feodosia Smolyachkov, already in the first months of the war, became famous for his military deeds not only for the entire Leningrad front, but also for the entire army, for the whole country. The 18-year-old reconnaissance officer of a separate reconnaissance company initiated a sniper movement to destroy the fascist invaders. By the beginning of 1942, he had 125 destroyed Nazis on his combat account, on which he spent 126 rounds. The master of a well-aimed shot, despite his youthful age, has a whole school. He trained 10 snipers who destroyed several hundred Nazis. In total, skillful snipers, students and fighting friends of Private Smolyachkov, including the brave Belarusian sniper V.I. Lukashenko, destroyed more than 5 thousand Nazis. On January 15, 1942, Theodosius Artemyevich Smolyachkov died in battle. He was posthumously awarded the title of Hero of the Soviet Union.
The feat of the tank brothers Krichevtsov. Konstantin, Mina and Elisey Krichevtsov are tank brothers from the Gomel region. From the first days of the Great Patriotic War, they fought at the front in the same tank crew. In the battle near the village of Lapa near Bialystok, their tank was hit. Then the brothers sent their burning car to the fascist tank. Having destroyed it at the cost of their lives, they blocked the way for enemy tanks in a narrow passage of a swampy area. A street in the village of Borok, Gomel region, was named after the Krichevtsov brothers.
The heroic feat of Kovalev. Another native of the Gomel region Grigory Semenovich Kovalev. In 1939 he participated in the liberation of Western Belarus, during the Great Patriotic War he first fought in a partisan brigade, and from July 1944 in a rifle brigade of the 3rd Belorussian Front. In the fight against the Nazi invaders, Sergeant Kovalev showed fearlessness and heroism. When Lithuania was liberated from the Nazis on August 18, 1944, in the battle for the heights west of the city of Siauliai, he threw himself with a bunch of grenades under the tracks of an enemy tank. Inspired by his feat, the fighters destroyed several more tanks and repulsed the enemy attack. G.S. Kovalev was posthumously awarded the title of Hero of the Soviet Union. A street in the city of Rogachev is named after him, and in the village of Bolshaya Kuvshinka, in the homeland of the hero, a secondary school was named after him.
Glorious feats of Belarusian pilots. Belarusian patriots also fought heroically in the air. The first high-altitude aerial ram in history was carried out in the Moscow sky by the pilot of the 12th Fighter Regiment A.N. Katrich. The title of Hero of the Soviet Union was also awarded to his countrymen - Minsker I.I. Kozlovsky and Vitebsk resident P.F. Sychenko.
In the battles near Kursk, fighter pilot A.K. Gorovets provided ground troops with air cover. On July 6, 1943, returning to his airfield, he entered into battle with 20 enemy bombers and, having the highest flying skills, shot down 9 enemy aircraft. A.K. Gorovets is the only pilot in the world who shot down so many enemy planes in one air battle. In Polotsk and in the homeland of the Hero of the Soviet Union Alexander Konstantinovich Gorovets, monuments were erected, streets in Vitebsk, Minsk, Polotsk, Senno, Bogushevsk, and Mashkanskaya were named after him. high school in the Senno region.
The only pilot in the world who made four aerial rams is Belarusian B.I. Kovzan. They call him the man of legend. During the Great Patriotic War, his name, which became a symbol of courage, fearlessness and steadfastness, inspired fear in the Nazis. During the war years, he made 360 sorties, conducted 127 air battles, in which he shot down 28 and rammed 4 enemy aircraft. The title of Hero of the Soviet Union Boris Ivanovich Kovzan was awarded after the battle near Staraya Russa. In a continuous battle with 13 fascist vultures, B.I. Kovzan rammed a Nazi aircraft with his already burning aircraft. And, as always, the pilot from the legend remained alive and continued to terrify the enemy.
A native of Gomelytsy, fighter pilot P.Ya. Golovachev in the Great Patriotic War went from flight commander to commander of a fighter aviation regiment. He participated in the defense of Odessa and in Battle of Stalingrad, in the liberation of Donbass, Crimea, Belarus, in East Prussian and Berlin operations. The brave pilot made 457 sorties, conducted 125 air battles, shot down 26 aircraft and rammed one enemy aircraft. Aviation Major General Pavel Yakovlevich Golovachev was twice awarded the high title of Hero of the Soviet Union.
Brave Belarusian sailors. On the sea expanses of the Baltic, Vice Admiral V.P. became famous. Drozd, a native of Buda-Koshelev. Under his command, in the fall of 1941, the ships of the Baltic Fleet made a bold breakthrough from Tallinn to Kronstadt, rescued and transported the defenders of the Khanka Peninsula to the Leningrad Front. The brave admiral died in January 1943 on the ice track near Kronstadt.
During the war years, the Shch-310 submarine under the command of S.N. Bogorada hunted for enemy ships. And no matter how strong the protection of the enemy's sea caravans, the brave commander always boldly led his submarine into a decisive attack. Only in two campaigns the crew of the boat sank 7 enemy ships. The submarine Shch-310 was awarded the Order of the Red Banner, and its commander was awarded the title of Hero of the Soviet Union. On another submarine, the legendary "S-13" under the command of A. Marinescu, a native of the Vitebsk region, foreman of the 2nd article P.S., sailed and participated in the sinking of three enemy ships. Fighters, awarded the Order of the Red Banner.
Courageous Nurse. After graduating from nursing courses, a young Vitebsk citizen Zina Tusnolobova volunteered for the front. For 8 months, the foreman of the medical service Tusnolobova carried 128 wounded soldiers and officers from the battlefield. In fierce 1943, on the territory of the Kursk region, a patriot was seriously wounded, she had frostbite on her arms and legs, which had to be amputated. But Zina did not fail the fighters against fascism: she spoke on the radio, in the press, urged fellow countrymen to fight the enemy until complete victory. At the front there were tanks, planes, guns and mortars with inscriptions "For Zina Tusnolobova!". In a letter to her beloved, Lieutenant Iosif Marchenko, who fought at the front, she wrote: “I lost my arms and legs. Farewell..." After the victory, Joseph returned to Polotsk to his beloved girl. For 40 years they lived together, they maintained mutual love and loyalty, raised their son Vladimir and daughter Nina. A street in Polotsk was named after the Hero of the Soviet Union Zinaida Mikhailovna Tusnolobova-Marchenko. The International Committee of the Red Cross awarded 3.M. Tusnolobov-Marchenko with the Florence Nightingale medal.
Fearlessness on the eve of victory. One thousand four hundred and tenth day of the war. Among the many Belarusians participating in the storming of the Reichstag was junior sergeant Pyotr Pyatnitsky. Battalion commander Neustroev recalls: “The banner was needed more than ever. Somewhere I got a piece of red cloth. I gave this canvas to junior sergeant Pyotr Pyatnitsky and said: “People are lying on the square. The Reichstag is close. Everyone lay down - both ours and the neighbors from the Davydov battalion. When you reach the chain, you will give my order to attack! Raise people ... "Peter jumped from the window into the funnel, crawled into the chain. Then he got up, grabbed the banner. There were already ten, fifteen, twenty people around him ... He dropped the scarlet banner in front of the very steps - he was killed." The Banner of Victory was hoisted over the dome of the Reichstag by Mikhail Yegorov and Meliton Kantaria. Eight days remained before the victory.
Mass character of courage and heroism. For courage, valor and heroism shown in the fight against the fascist invaders, more than 300 thousand soldiers and officers - natives of Belarus - were awarded orders and medals, 446 of them were awarded the high title of Hero of the Soviet Union, 67 people became full holders of the Order of Glory. The title of Hero of the Soviet Union was awarded twice: to pilot P.Ya. Golovachev, tank commanders I.I. Rusakovsky, S.F. Shutov, I.I. Yakubovsky. A participant in the anti-fascist war in Spain and the battles on the Khalkhin-Gol River, a native of the Brest region S.I. Gritsevets was one of the first twice Hero of the Soviet Union in the country, but he tragically died before the start of World War II. In the fierce battles of the Great Patriotic War, many of the natives of Belarus showed themselves to be many brave, talented commanders. Among them are marshals V.D. Sokolovsky, S.A. Krasovsky, I.I. Yakubovsky, army generals A.I. Antonov, I.I. Rusakovsky and others. A total of 217 generals and admirals.
Belarusians - Heroes of the Soviet Union
On July 8, 1941, the first Decree of the Presidium of the Supreme Soviet of the USSR on conferring the title of Hero of the Soviet Union since the beginning of the war was broadcast on the radio. And already on July 14, the title of Hero was awarded to the first Belarusian during the war years - fighter pilot Alexei Kasyanovich Antonenko, who defended Leningrad. He only had time to fight for a month. For that a short time the pilot shot down 11 enemy planes and died a week after he received the highest award of the Motherland. Pilot Nikolai Frantsevich Gastello was the first Belarusian by origin to be awarded the title of Hero for a feat accomplished on the territory of the republic. He was awarded the title of Hero of the Soviet Union on July 25, 1941 posthumously. On June 26, 1941, during the bombardment of an enemy tank column on the Molodechno-Radoshkovichi road, Captain Gastello, together with members of his crew, sent the plane engulfed in flames to a cluster German tanks which inflicted great damage on the enemy.
In August 1941, the country learned the names of the first Heroes of the Soviet Union - partisans. They were the national avengers of Belarus: on August 6, the highest award was awarded to Tikhon Pimenovich Bumazhkov and Fyodor Illarionovich Pavlovsky, who were among the organizers and leaders partisan movement in the Polissya region. Created by Bumazhkov and Pavlovsky in June 1941, the Red October partisan detachment, together with units of the Red Army, held back the advance of the Nazis on the Ptich River.
In total, 448 Belarusians and natives of Belarus were awarded the highest award for the feats accomplished during the Great Patriotic War. 88 participants of the partisan and underground movement of Belarus became heroes of the Soviet Union, 50 of them were natives of our republic.
Six Belarusian partisans and underground fighters were awarded the title of Hero of the Soviet Union for feats committed on the territory of other union republics. Pyotr Mikhailovich Buyko, who became a doctor in one of the partisan detachments operating in the Kyiv region. In November 1943, during the battle, he was captured by the Nazis and, after being tortured, he was burned alive along with hostage partisans. Vyacheslav Antonovich Kvitinsky commanded a sabotage group, a detachment, then a brigade that smashed the enemy in the occupied territory of Ukraine, Poland and Czechoslovakia. Vladimir Timofeevich Kurylenko bravely derailed enemy echelons on the territory Smolensk region. After the death of the demolition hero, his name was given to several partisan detachments. Pyotr Antonovich Galetsky also fought in the Smolensk region. Yevgeny Ivanovich Mirkovsky was the commander of a special partisan detachment named after Dzerzhinsky (“Walkers”), which fought on the territory of Belarus, Russia and Ukraine. His detachment passed through the rear of the enemy 6 thousand kilometers. Grigory Ivanovich Shelushkov - one of the organizers and leaders of the underground and partisan movement in the Zhytomyr region (Ukraine), died in May 1943.
There are families in the republic in which the title of Hero of the Soviet Union was awarded to several of their members at once. The Belarusian land was glorified by the tank hero brothers Yevsey and Matvey Vainruby, natives of Borisov. They went through the war from the first to last day, participated in the largest defensive and offensive operations Red Army. Two brothers-heroes were presented to Belarus by the Gomel region. The high rank was awarded to Alexander and Pyotr Lizyukov, who participated in the defense of Moscow and Leningrad and died in battle.
There are among the Belarusians - Heroes of the Soviet Union and those who during the Great Patriotic War were awarded this title twice. These are tankers: Marshal of the Soviet Union Ivan Ignatievich Yakubovsky, Army General Iosif Iraklievich Gusakovsky, Colonel Stepan Fedorovich Shutov and pilot Major General Pavel Yakovlevich Golovachev.
Today in Belarus there are 16 people awarded the title of Hero of the Soviet Union (as of 01.10.2009).
The title of Hero of the Soviet Union was established by the Decree of the Central Executive Committee of the USSR of April 16, 1934 and is awarded by the Presidium of the Supreme Soviet of the USSR for personal or collective services to the Soviet state and society associated with the accomplishment of a heroic deed.
A correspondent of the Minsk-Novosti agency talks about the Heroes of the Soviet Union.
On the chest "Star" glitters
Almost all the inhabitants of the Soviet country knew about their exploits. For the younger generation, these people were an example, a guiding star. Heroes of the Soviet Union.
The highest award in the USSR was the Order of Lenin. He was awarded "for particularly outstanding services in the revolutionary movement, labor activity, defense of the socialist Fatherland, development of friendship and cooperation between peoples, strengthening of peace and other especially outstanding services to the Soviet state and society. Both citizens and communities. The first to receive this award on May 23, 1930 "for active assistance in strengthening the pace of socialist construction and in connection with the fifth anniversary of its foundation" was the newspaper Komsomolskaya Pravda. But how to distinguish a real feat from the sum of merit?
The situation changed on April 16, 1934, by a resolution of the Central Executive Committee of the USSR: "To establish the highest degree of distinction - the assignment of the title of Hero of the Soviet Union for personal or collective services to the state associated with the accomplishment of a heroic deed." 4 days passed, and a huge country learned the names of the first Heroes. They were pilots who rescued the crew of the Chelyuskin steamer stuck in the ice. Everyone from young to old knew how the rescue operation went and could tell about it in detail. Boys and girls stormed flying clubs, dreaming of conquering the sky just like seven polar pilots: A. V. Lyapidevsky, S. A. Levanevsky, V. S. Molokov, N. P. Kamanin, M. T. Slepnev, M. V. Vodopyanov, I. V. Doronin. The event had such a resonance that it was soon immortalized in the toponymy of Minsk. Citizens and today enjoy walking in the park named after Chelyuskintsev. And it's easier to get there by metro - to the station of the same name.
Soon the title of Hero of the Soviet Union was awarded to several more pilots. It was the representatives of this profession that immediately became the favorites in terms of the number of submissions to the title.
Initially, Heroes were not supposed to have any insignia. They were handed only a letter from the Central Executive Committee of the USSR. But after 2 years, on July 29, 1936, a new version of the Regulations appeared, which provided for citizens awarded this title, in addition to the diploma, to present the Order of Lenin.
On December 31, 1936, the Central Executive Committee issued a resolution conferring the title of Hero of the Soviet Union to pilots and tank crews of the Workers 'and Peasants' Red Army for exploits during civil war in Spain. There are 17 names on the list: 10 of them are pilots of the N-sky aviation unit, 6 are tankers, 1 is a radio operator. Heroes were not only citizens of the USSR, but also the Italian Primo Gibelli, the German Ernst Schacht and the Bulgarian Zahari Zahariev (known in the USSR as Volkan Goranov). The award became the most significant for the BSSR. Piotr Kupriyanov and Nikolai Selitsky were the first among Belarusians to be awarded the highest title.
For the fight
In the winter of 1939, the Soviet-Finnish war began. According to its results, 412 people were awarded the title of Hero of the Soviet Union. This is almost twice as much as during the entire existence of the award. Among them, 18 Belarusians.
The vast majority of the Heroes of the Soviet Union appeared during the Great Patriotic War - more than 11.5 thousand people (92% of the total). The first "Gold Star" for feats in battles against the German invaders was awarded on July 8, 1941. On July 14, this title was awarded to the first Belarusian - fighter pilot Aleksey Antonenko, who defended Leningrad. In a month, he shot down 11 enemy aircraft, 1 of them by ramming. On July 26, 1941, Alexei Antonenko died. His I-16 crashed upon landing on a runway shattered by shells.
Pilot Nikolai Frantsevich Gastello on July 25, 1941, was the first Belarusian by birth to be awarded (posthumously) the title of Hero of the Soviet Union for a feat accomplished on the territory of the republic.
Medal for Heroes
In 1939, it became clear that the Heroes of the Soviet Union needed a badge of distinction. In the three years since the establishment of the title, the number of heroes has exceeded a hundred. And on October 16, by the Decree of the Presidium of the Supreme Soviet of the USSR, the "Golden Star" was introduced, now known to everyone. The medal turned out to be very laconic: a five-pointed star made of gold. On reverse side serial number and inscription: "Hero of the USSR".
On November 4, the first solemn award ceremony took place. Pilot A. V. Lyapidevsky received medal No. 1. Then the "Gold Star" appeared both for those previously awarded this title, and for new Heroes who distinguished themselves in battles with the Japanese near the Khalkhin Gol River.
Made another feat Belarusian pilot Sergey Gritsevets, as a result of which he, as well as Grigory Kravchenko, on August 29, 1939, became the first twice Heroes. In our capital, the memory of the first of them - a native of the Minsk province - is immortalized in the name of the street and a bronze bust. Until 1972, he stood in the current park named after Y. Kupala, and then moved to the square on Lenin Street, where he is today. True, he has one inaccuracy: Sergei Gritsevets did not have time to attach two Gold Star medals to his uniform - he died before being awarded. Instead, he wore the Order of Lenin. On September 16, 1939, Gritsevets was present in Minsk at a meeting of the District Military Council. At 19:00 he took off on an I-15 plane from the airfield in Machulishchi and headed for the village of Bolbasovo in the Orsha district. Pilots landed there in bad weather conditions ... The first twice Hero of the Soviet Union died in a plane crash.
Keeping traditions
Over the years of existence of this highest title, 12,777 people have been awarded it, of which 95 are women. Twice there were 154 Heroes, three times - 3 (Marshal Semyon Budyonny, famous aces Alexander Pokryshkin and Ivan Kozhedub). Marshals Georgy Zhukov and Leonid Brezhnev each had four Golden Stars on their tunic. It is worth noting that most of the Heroes come from the infantry, not the Air Force. The absolute majority of the owners of the "Gold Star" - private, sergeant and junior officers and not the generals. But among the twice Heroes there are no privates and sergeants.
Alexander Pokryshkin, Georgy Zhukov and Ivan Kozhedub 448 Belarusians were awarded the title of Hero of the Soviet Union. 7 of them became Heroes twice. At the same time, Kirill Orlovsky and Pyotr Masherov were Heroes of Socialist Labor.
After gaining independence in the Republic of Belarus, they created their own reward system. In 1995, the title "Hero of Belarus" was established. Currently, 11 people have been awarded it: Vladimir Karvat, Pavel Mariev, Alexander Dubko, Mikhail Karchmit, Vitaly Kremko, Mikhail Vysotsky, Petr Prokopovich, Vasily Revyako, Mikhail Savitsky, Filaret (in the world Kirill Vakhromeev) and Daria Domracheva.
For reference
Before the start of World War II, 626 people were awarded the title of Hero of the Soviet Union, of which only three were women.
According to some data, the date of birth is September 15 (according to the new style) (see. I. N. Shkadov. - M .: Military Publishing, 1987. - T. 1 / Abaev - Lyubichev /. - S. 22. - 911 p. - 100,000 copies. - ISBN out., Reg. No. in RKP 87-95382), according to others - November 12 (see. Encyclopedia of Victory: Belarus - Moscow. - Mn. : Belarusian Encyclopedia, 2010. - S. 496.), for the third - November 22 (see. Forever in the heart of the people / I.P. Shamyakin. - Mn. : Belarusian. Owls. Encyclopedia, 1984. - S. 7.)
